Inevitable
by PalindromePen
Summary: Aerrow and Piper have a small chat about Piper's condition from the Binding.


**I love Storm Hawks, and I was so upset that the creators never made a season three. But, the show will live on in writing, or so I hope. Here's my first SH fanfic, which is set between episode 51 and 52. It features Aerrow x Piper, which is my favourite pairing on the show. I guess this more friendship, though.**

**Enjoy, and please, please, please review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks.**

The Condor drifted lazily in the sky, silhouetted against the amber and violet hues of the sunset. In the war that had ravaged Atmos the past month, there hadn't been any peace and the rare moment of tranquility now was one that the Storm Hawks recognized and were trying to enjoy.

On the deck of the Condor, an indigo haired girl sat on the ground, knees drawn up to her chin and her aching head resting on them. She stared at the sunset, wishing that things could stay frozen in time, in this moment, forever. She sighed gently, and then started to cough, a rasping, dry cough that left her gasping for breath.

"Piper?"

The girl turned to meet her red-haired friend's concerned gaze. She forced a smile on her face, but it ended up looking more like a grimace.

"Aerrow, I'm fine," Piper said, her throat still hoarse. She turned back to the sunset, leaning her head back against the wall, closing her eyes and willing the pounding in her head away.

Aerrow came to her and knelt, placing a hand against Piper's hot forehead. The girl almost groaned, feeling goosebumps rising at his cool touch.

"Piper, you're burning up! Come on," he exclaimed. She looked at him for a second, unable to comprehend what he was saying, then nodded. She stood up unsteadily, swayed, then almost fell over. Aerrow caught her slight weight in his arms and scooped her up. Piper didn't even protest, and that made the boy realize just how severely sick she was.

As Aerrow walked the narrow hallways to Piper's room, he saw Finn's curious gaze and frowned at him, gesturing with his head at the girl in his arms. Finn took one look at her and an almost imperceptible look of worry shadowed his face.

"Will she be okay?" the sharpshooter asked in hushed tones.

"I don't know," Aerrow whispered back, and started walking again. Reaching Piper's room, he nudged the door open with his toe and gently laid Piper on the bed inside. He sat down next to her and looked at her, anguished at her condition.

"The Binding is doing this to you, isn't it?" he said to her.

Piper didn't reply immediately, wondering if she should lie, but decided otherwise. She nodded and sat up.

"What's—what's it like?" Aerrow asked, afraid of the answer, but wanting to know, to understand. He reached over and caught her pale hand.

The navigator considered the question. "I can feel…something eating me up on the inside. Right now, it feels like there's something inside me that's…feeding on my mind and body, and it's making me _so weak_ that I feel like I can barely move. Other days, I'm filled with so much pain that I'm breathless and mentally tortured and I can't...I can't..." She paused, not bothering to continue, then looked Aerrow in the eyes, her tawny eyes capturing his emerald ones.

"Aerrow, I'm going to ask you a question, and I want an honest answer, okay?" she said.

Aerrow hesitated, then nodded hesitantly.

"Am I dying?"

Instantly, it was as if the temperature in the room got ten degrees lower. Something snapped inside Aerrow as Piper voiced the fear he'd been trying to reject and shove aside for the past month. He could feel his eyes filling his tears and bowed his head, clutching her hand even tighter and trying to push back loud sobs. His body shook with suppressed emotion.

"Aerrow, please." He looked up and saw his own grief reflected in Piper's eyes.

"I—I don't—I can't," he murmured, voice breaking.

"Aerrow, just say it! Please, answer!" Piper sounded so desperate, so distressed. "Please. I need to hear it."

The boy sighed, tremors still running through his body. "Yes."

And then he was bawling and she was crying and they were clutching at each other, sharing their pain, their grief, their agony, their emotions washed out like the push of the tide against the shore.

"Oh, Piper," Aerrow murmured, hugging the girl to his chest. "Oh, Piper, Piper, Piper…"

And so they remained, the sorrow of the withering girl and the heart-broken boy lingering in the air, souls and hearts filled with despair for the future to come, and the inevitable to happen.

**Well, that was sadder than I expected. I know this doesn't **_**exactly**_** fit into the timing between those two episodes, but I still think it came out okay. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review! **

**PalindromePen, out. **


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